that controls the story in this play in order to reach the conflict or the climax. However, since these characteristics represent the binary opposition, they have and
operational system that can be described as “the male characters who are featured with dominant characteristics intolerant, apathetic, careless, hard are superior in
society, and the female characters who are featured with less dominant characteristics tolerant, sympathetic, incisive, sociable are regarded as inferior
”. However, that finding is opposed with this succeeding discussion.
2. The Rejection on the Textual Fact
It is already mentioned that the first step in Deconstruction method is to find
the transcendental signified. Here, what is meant by transcendental signified
is “an external point of reference on which people may build a concept. This transcendental
signified also would provide the center of meaning allowing those who believe in them to structure their ideas of reality around them” Bressler, 1999: 124. In the
application of this theory on the text of Trifles, it can be concluded that this transcendental signified is the finding of the presence of male and female character as
a binary pair, in which “male is superior and female is inferior”.
According to Deconstruction theory, the idea of logocentrism is defined as:
“the belief that there is an ultimate reality or center of truth that can serve as the basis for all our
thoughts and actions” Bressler, 1999: 124. In this case, the finding of “the male characters are superior and the female characters are inferior” also becomes
the example of logocentrism since in this play; the image of this finding is the center
that directly influences the readers’ interpretation about the story of the play. This
influence can be seen in the discussion of the binaries of the characteristics of male and female characters that are related to gender stereotype, that reaches an outcome
as male characters are superior and female characters are inferior.
However, in the Deconstruction theory, it is also known about binary opposition
, which means “for each center, it presents the opponent of that center” Bressler, 1999: 125. By knowing about this binary opposition, it can be concluded
that the finding of male characters are superior and female characters are inferior is not final, because there is such a belief about the existence of the other finding.
The idea of binary opposition is also supported by idea of phonocentrism. In phonocentrism
concept, it is believed that “one element in the binary opposition is always superior so that this superior element will always more accessible than
another the inferior” Bressler, 1999: 125. By considering to this idea, the it is derived a conclusion that in the text of Trifles, there is another center besides the
center of “male characters are superior and female characters are inferior”. However, this another center is not accessible because it is inferior. Here,
this discussion aims to raise this inferior center, so that it becomes accessible in this play and also can be the way to open a variety of text interpretation.
In order to become clearer, these concepts transcendental signified, logocentrism, binary opposition and phonocentrism are applied to examine the
previous session the binary opposition of the characteristics of male and female PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
